Hugh or Huw Kennedy of Girvanmains was a Scottish courtier, soldier, and landowner. He was the son of Alexander Kennedy of Girvanmains in

Ayrshire Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Àir, ) is a historic county and registration county in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine and it borders the counties of Re ...

. The family lived at

Dalquharran Castle Dalquharran Castle is a category A listed building in South Ayrshire, Scotland, designed by Robert Adam and completed around 1790. The first recorded lord of the property which already included a castle, was Gilbert Kennedy, as stated in a 1474 Ch ...

. He was a supporter of

Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (c. 148922 January 1557) was a Scottish nobleman active during the reigns of James V and Mary, Queen of Scots. He was the son of George, Master of Angus, who was killed at the Battle of Flodden, and suc ...

when

James V of Scotland James V (10 April 1512 – 14 December 1542) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Scotland from 9 September 1513 until his death in 1542. He was crowned on 21 September 1513 at the age of seventeen months. James was the son of James IV of Sco ...

was in his minority. After James V broke free from the Douglases, Kennedy was regarded as a traitor, but was forgiven in 1530 and allowed to into exile in France. In August 1554

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (french: Marie de Guise; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was a French noblewoman of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine and one of the most powerful families in France. She ...

hired a private ship, called the ''Lion'' from George Hume to attack

Borve Castle, Sutherland Borve Castle in Sutherland, Scottish Highlands is now a ruin. Formerly called the House of Burro. It was built in Kirtomy Bay near the hamlet of Farr. It is also known as Farr Castle. History The castle, which may have originally been constr ...

held by Iye Du Mackay. Hugh Kennedy embarked 50 soldiers and the royal gunner Hans Cochrane with a cannon. Provisions for Kennedy's voyage included a barrel of white wine bought from Anthony Varennes, a French soldier based at

Broughty Castle Broughty Castle is a historic castle on the banks of the River Tay in Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Scotland. It was completed around 1495, although the site was earlier fortified in 1454, when George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus, received permission t ...

under Monsieur Curtre. Castle Sinclair - geograph

Kennedy was at

Dunrobin Castle Dunrobin Castle (mostly 1835–1845 — present) is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland, as well as the family seat of the Earl of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie and approximatel ...

in October 1554. He wrote to the

Earl of Cassillis Marquess of Ailsa, of the Isle of Ailsa in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 10 September 1831 for Archibald Kennedy, 12th Earl of Cassilis. The title Earl of Cassilis (pronounced "Cassels") ...

that he had met representatives of the

Clan Gunn Clan Gunn ( gd, Na Guinnich) is a Highland Scottish clan associated with lands in northeastern Scotland, including Caithness, Sutherland and, arguably, the Orkney Isles. Clan Gunn is one of the oldest Scottish Clans, being descended from the No ...

on 12 October who promised their loyalty to the queen. The Robson Gunn family, however, were prominent supporters of Iye Du Mackay. John Robson's sons and his nephews were at Girnigoe Castle. Hugh Kennedy asked Cassillis to persuade Mary of Guise to order the

Earl of Caithness Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and it has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have ...

to surrender Girnigoe. William Robson could be charged with treason for fire-raising, murder, slaughter, and concurring with and fortifying rebels. Hugh Kennedy wrote that he planned to meet Iye Du Mackay on 18 October, and he hoped he would accept the queen regent's terms. The late Donald Mackay's wife Helen Sinclair was in possession of some of Mary of Guise's dower lands near

Inverness Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...

. Hugh Kennedy thought that Mary of Guise could take these lands, because Helen Sinclair had hosted the household servants of the rebel Iye Du Mackay. He thought the matter would not even go to trial. He sent his greetings to

Henri Cleutin Henri Cleutin, seigneur d'Oisel et de Villeparisis (1515 – 20 June 1566), was the representative of France in Scotland from 1546 to 1560, a Gentleman of the Chamber of the King of France, and a diplomat in Rome 1564-1566 during the French Wars o ...

. In October 1555, Hugh Kennedy was paid for the voyage in the ''Lion'', and for keeping Iye Du Mackay and two gentlemen, and buying Mackay clothes before 11 November 1554, with two year's arrears of his salary. Rob John Robson was subsequently a pledge for the Clan Gunn and was held at

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

from February 1558. The date of Hugh Kennedy's death is unknown.

Marriage and family

He married

Lady Janet Stewart Janet Stewart, Lady Fleming (17 July 1502 – 20 February 1562), called ''la Belle Écossaise'' (French language, French for 'the Beautiful Scotswoman'), was a Scottish courtier. She was an Legitimacy (family law), illegitimate daughter of King J ...

, a daughter of

John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Atholl was the second Earl of Atholl. He fought in the Battle of Flodden on 9 September 1513. Biography He was born after 1475 to John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl and Eleanor Sinclair. He married Lady Janet Campbell, daug ...

and Janet Campbell. She was first married to Alexander Gordon, Master of Sutherland, and known as the "Mistress of Sutherland". After her marriage to Hugh Kennedy was dissolved, she married

Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven Henry Stewart, 1st Lord Methven (c. 1495 – 1552) was Master of the Scottish Artillery and third, and last husband, of Margaret Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York. Ancient lineage He was a son of Andrew Stewa ...

in 1544, and she subsequently married

Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven Patrick Ruthven, 3rd Lord Ruthven (c. 1520 – 13 June 1566) played an important part in the political intrigues of the 16th century Scotland. He succeeded to the lordship in December 1552. The Ruthven lordship encompassed the offices of Provost ...

. Their children included: * Gilbert Kennedy of Girvanmains, who married Margaret Kennedy in 1553 * Elizabeth or Elspeth Kennedy (died 1572), who married Patrick Vans of Barnbarroch at

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

on 17 August 1561. * Barbara Kennedy, who married John Bellenden of Auchnoul,

Lord Justice Clerk The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland, after the Lord President of the Court of Session. Originally ''clericus justiciarie'' or Clerk to the Court of Justiciary, the counterpart in the criminal courts of the Lord ...

. The marriage contract was signed by Mary of Guise on 30 September 1555. Barbara was her lady-in-waiting. Guise contributed £266-13s-4d to her dowry in October 1555. At this time, her father was employed by Guise on a military mission against the

Clan Mackay Clan Mackay ( ; gd, Clann Mhic Aoidh ) is an ancient and once-powerful Scottish Highlands, Highland Scottish clan from the far North of the Scottish Highlands, but with roots in the old Mormaer of Moray, Kingdom of Moray. They supported Robert I ...

, and John Bellenden was working with the Queen Regent at her justice ayres in

Dumfries Dumfries ( ; sco, Dumfries; from gd, Dùn Phris ) is a market town and former royal burgh within the Dumfries and Galloway council area of Scotland. It is located near the mouth of the River Nith into the Solway Firth about by road from the ...

and

Jedburgh Jedburgh (; gd, Deadard; sco, Jeddart or ) is a town and former royal burgh in the Scottish Borders and the traditional county town of the historic county of Roxburghshire, the name of which was randomly chosen for Operation Jedburgh in su ...

. * Margaret Kennedy, who married Ughtred McDowall of Garthland. His second wife was

Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree Margaret Stewart, Mistress of Ochiltree (died 1627) was a courtier in the household of Anne of Denmark in Scotland and looked after her children Prince Henry, Princess Elizabeth, and Charles I of England Career Margaret was the daughter of Henr ...

, a daughter of

. * Helen Kennedy, who married in 1559

Laurence Bruce Laurence Bruce of Cultmalindie (20 January 1547 – August 1617) was the son of John Bruce of Cultmalindie and Eupheme Elphinstone. Easter Cultmalindie is a small hamlet or "fermtoun" in Tibbermore parish, Perthshire, Scotland. Laurence Bruce fe ...

(died 1617), son of John Bruce of Cultmalindie and Euphame Elphinstone, a daughter of

Alexander Elphinstone, 1st Lord Elphinstone Alexander Elphinstone, 1st Lord Elphinstone (died 9 September 1513) was a Scottish peer. He was the son of Sir John Elphinstone of that ilk and of Pittendreich. He was first known as "Alexander Elphinstone of Innernochty". He was made Baillie o ...

. In 1566 Laurence Bruce he stood surety for Hugh Kennedy in his feud with

Lord Oliphant Lord Oliphant was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created twice and de facto under Peerage Law a third time. The first creation is in abeyance of the law, the second extinct and the third creation is dormant. The title was certainly ...

. Laurence Bruce became Sheriff or "Faud" of

Shetland Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the no ...

from 1571 and built

Muness Castle Muness Castle is located on Unst, which is one of the Shetland Islands of Scotland. The castle is east of the village of Uyeasound. Unst is Scotland's most northerly inhabited island, and Muness is the most northerly fortalice in the British Is ...

Unst Unst (; sco, Unst; nrn, Ønst) is one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is the northernmost of the inhabited British Isles and is the third-largest island in Shetland after Mainland and Yell. It has an area of . Unst ...

. Their children included Alexander Bruce of Cultmalindie, Andrew Bruce of Muness, and Helen Bruce who married Adam Sinclair of Brow.W. Bruce Armstrong, 'Bruce', ''Genealogist'', vol. 6 (London, 1882), pp. 163-4.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, Hugh 16th-century Scottish people

Hugh Hugh may refer to: *Hugh (given name) Noblemen and clergy French * Hugh the Great (died 956), Duke of the Franks * Hugh Magnus of France (1007–1025), co-King of France under his father, Robert II * Hugh, Duke of Alsace (died 895), modern-day ...